Just as the sun had set and dusk was spreading, I noticed Mr 15 go for a walk. I don’t like going for walks along the woods by myself at night, but with him out there I felt OK about venturing out. Especially with my coyote stick. (You know, the coyotes sneak up on me and I defend myself with powerful sweeps of my stick. Hmm. Until, of course, my son rushes up with his big coyote stick to help me.)
In any case, off I went. The moon was a thin crescent in the still-blue sky, and just above it hung a brilliant star, actually the planet Venus. (You might still be able to see this gorgeous sight tonight, although it is astonishing how quickly the moon and the planets move around the sky.)
Up in the trees, tiny ‘birds’ swooped and darted. One came close enough that I could see the double curve on its fluttering wings. It was a bat! Of course, that makes sense. Birds fly to get where they’re going. These bats were just dancing about the sky in busy, crazy, zig-zaggy paths, turning and wheeling madly. There were not as many mosquitoes out here as in our yard. Perhaps that’s what they were eating.
Following the path over a brook, I saw a deer burst out of the trees and bound away over the corn plants. It was still just light enough to notice the white of its tail. An army of daisies, just pale smudges in the dark, guarded the trees by the brook.
On the way home I saw deer prints in the path by our garden. Oh, no! That could mean disaster for our vegetable supply!
And where was my son? Well, he had gone the other way… and I’m glad I didn’t know until I was safely back in our own yard again.
Michelle at A Life Better Than I Deserve mentioned Nature Study Tuesday. You can go there to find more families’ nature experiences.
I love evening walks and miss walking on the farm! ( not the same in the city) Bat watching is so cool. We try to do it each evening. Laughing at your cyote stick! Growing up we had to deal with them but they were not a problem…the mountain lion was. I did not carry a stick…but a rifle. Usually the dogs scared them off but there were times they stalked us in the pre dawn hours.
Wow! I’m glad I don’t live where you used to. Walking with a rifle would not be relaxing!
It must sure change your perspective on country walks, though!
Annie Kate
Having a coyote sneak up on you? YIKES! Having been attacked by a pit bull, that would terrify me!
Do they run off pretty quickly once you show some force with your stick?
No, Stacy, I haven’t seen them. We’ve only been hearing them, as well as mysterious noises in the woods. We’ve also been losing ducks.
There are wolves and bears around here, rarely. But there are a lot of coyotes and they attack sheep and calves in the neighborhood. So if I’m going for a walk, I’ll take a stick, just in case.
Annie Kate
Thanks for linking up. Just the other night, actually the evening I took my sunset pics, there were coyotes howling and yipping. I made my children get their daddy to come outside. lol